Arson in Roermond school directed against teacher
The police arrested a 13-year-old boy from Roermond on Sunday afternoon on suspicion of arson in a secondary school in his hometown. The police did not not want to say more about the case, as the the boy is a minor and therefore is is not allowed to talk to anyone but his lawyer. Furthermore, police and his lawyer are not allowed to give any further information.
An unknown person set fire to a secondary school in Roermond on Saturday evening around 5.45 p.m. He also left slogans indicating that the arson was directed against a teacher of this school. This was announced by the principal of the school, Marc Demandt.
An office of Broekhin College in Bob Boumanstraat in Roermond was destroyed by the fire. The principal described the arson as a threat to the teacher and the school. The fire also raged in the office where the teacher works as a teacher coordinator. Police are investigating and confirmed the arson on Saturday night. Police are asking witnesses to come forward.
Demandt said there has been unrest among parents and students. Classes will continue as usual on Monday unless there are safety reasons, he said. Firefighters are using large fans to blow smoke out of the building.
A video posted online by the perpetrator shows flames flaring up in the office and smashing out through the door. There is a text on the video with the teacher's name and expletives following. Incidentally, the perpetrator partially filmed himself as well.
According to the principal, the perpetrator entered through the back entrance and sprayed slogans on the walls. The burned-out office was the workplace of two people. The arson was directed against one of them, the principal said. He did not understand it, he explained. "This is a teacher who is very popular with the students, there is no evidence of this colleague, who is very shocked." But, he added, "we don't let this kind of lunatic take us off-guard.
Reporting by ANP
